First published 20th November 2022
Doctor David J Blackmore is a noted military historian and author. He has published
four
non-fiction books:
Arms
and Armour of the English Civil Wars;
British
Cavalry in the Mid-18th Century.
·
Destructive
and Formidable, British Infantry Firepower, 1642 – 1765, (the published version
of his PhD thesis from Nottingham Trent University);
So
Bloody a Day, the 16th Light Dragoons in the Waterloo Campaign.
He
has also written more articles and given more lectures than he can remember,
and has appeared in Sean Bean’s ‘Waterloo’, teaching him how to use a sabre.
A
re-enactor for forty five years, including being Lord General of the Roundhead
Association, and commanding the British Light Dragoons at Waterloo 200. He
commanded B Troop, 16th Light Dragons from 2014 to 2019.
David
says that he is now definitely retired from re-enacting.
However,
he still gets out on a horse two or three times a week, including on Johnny,
the model for Michael Roberts’ horse in the ‘Wellington’s Dragoon’ series.
in
2022, he penned the first novel in his ‘Wellington’s Dragoon’ series; ‘To The
Douro’ which tells of the exploits of Michael Roberts, an officer in the 16th
Light Dragoons during the Peninsular War, against Napoleon’s army. The second
instalment in the series, ‘Secret Lines’ is now also available.
To The Douro (Wellington's Dragoon Book 1) eBook : Blackmore, David J: Amazon.co.uk: Kindle Store
I caught up with David to ask him about his approach to the writing process:
BRINDLE: In about three sentences, what is your book about?
DAVID: It’s the first in a projected series of eight, telling the story of a young, British cavalry officer, Michael Roberts, through the Peninsular War to Waterloo. The first details how Michael comes to join the army, gets involved in the secret intelligence war, and plays a vital part in the campaign that culminated in Wellington’s famous crossing of the river Douro to capture Oporto from the French.
BRINDLE: When did you first get involved in writing/ When did you first become involved in this subject?
DAVID: My first book was published in 1990, and is a work of non-fiction, ‘Arms and Armour of the English Civil Wars’. My interest in the Napoleonic Wars goes back to my school days, when I was a war-gamer.
BRINDLE: What got you interested in this subject in the first place?
DAVID: I’m afraid that I can’t remember, it’s a long time ago.
BRINDLE: What’s been your highlight/biggest achievement in this field?
DAVID: In non-fiction it has to be ‘Destructive and Formidable, which is my PhD thesis. In fiction it’s the next book.
Secret Lines (Wellington's Dragoon Book 2) eBook : Blackmore, David: Amazon.co.uk: Kindle Store
BRINDLE: What is it that drives you to write?
DAVID: It’s the act of creating something. For non-fiction that is an addition to knowledge and understanding. For fiction it is creating something that readers will enjoy.
BRINDLE: Can you tell us about your research methods?
DAVID: In general terms, I have pretty much every contemporary account written by someone in the cavalry, and I have read them all, which has provided a lot of useful factual information about the lives of the cavalrymen. I also think it is important not just to read the words, but to listen to the voices as well. It’s the difference between reading a play, and seeing it performed. That has given me a feel for the period, and the character of the cavalry and the men in it. Then I make extensive use of modern studies of the various campaigns and battles. I have also done some of what I write about; riding, using a sabre, and taking part in the 200th anniversary recreation of Waterloo.
BRINDLE: What are the best and worst things
about being a writer in this field?
DAVID: I suppose the best thing is simply that I enjoy it. The second-best thing is that I don’t have to worry about footnotes, the bane of the historian. The worst thing is the awareness that there are people out there who know an awful lot about what I am writing about, I have to be very thorough and check everything for accuracy.
BRINDLE: Which authors etc. are your biggest influences?
DAVID: I can’t point to any particular authors, although I have always thought highly of George Macdonald Fraser’s Flashman books, which are very well researched. However, his autobiographical account of his part in the war against Japan is one of the best things I have ever read.
One
major influence has been Dave Allen the comedian. He was a consummate story
teller.
BRINDLE: What do you think is the most important quality/skill for a writer in your field?
DAVID: Determination.
BRINDLE: What are your future plans?
DAVID: To get to the end of book eight.
BRINDLE: Can you tell us a bit about your writing process? ( location/time/words per day/schedule etc.)
DAVID: I work in my study, with all my reference books to hand. I don’t particularly keep any schedule. I might go for a week or two and not write a word, which doesn’t mean I’m not thinking about it, and sometimes I’ll hammer out ten thousand words in a week. I also use pen and paper a lot, I find it makes it easier to concentrate when I am working things out.
BRINDLE: What advice would you give to new writers in your field?
DAVID: Read everything you can, never assume you are right, and make sure that you are enjoying it, otherwise you will fail.
You can follow David’s blog using the link below:
https://djblackmore.wordpress.com/